TAMPA - An Islamic school co-founded by Sami Al-Arian will lose about $350,000 in funding from a state program that pays private school tuition for poor children.
The organization that administers the tuition, Parental Rights in Deciding Education, or PRIDE, is stopping payments to 100 students at the Islamic Academy of Florida pending state and federal investigations, chairman John Kirtley said Friday.
Kirtley said the payments were frozen out of fear that state lawmakers would kill the scholarship program entirely because of Al-Arian's alleged ties to terrorists.
"I'm saddened these children have become pawns in a political game," he said.
Kirtley said the students can take their $3,500 scholarships elsewhere, including the Universal Academy of Florida, another Islamic school in Tampa.
Al-Arian's wife said the decision to freeze the funding perpetuates discrimination against Muslims. She's unsure if the students' parents will be able to keep them enrolled.
"It is a legitimate institution," said Nahla Al-Arian. "It's obvious Muslims are not wanted in America. It's very bad because those students are American students."
The Islamic Academy funding is the latest controversy involving the scholarship program, which gave out nearly $50-million last year to low-income students at more than 1,000 schools.
Critics have complained about the program's lax oversight and minimal accountability. The state has no say over what is taught in any of the schools, and doesn't know how the students are performing academically.
Legislative leaders want a study of the program completed before the next regular session. But their concerns didn't stop lawmakers from recently expanding the program from $50-million to $88-million. Corporations that provide donations to fund the scholarships receive a dollar-for-dollar tax break.
Senate Minority Leader Ron Klein, D-Delray Beach, is one of the program's staunchest critics. He praised PRIDE's decision to stop funding students at the Islamic Academy.
"This could be the tip of the iceberg in terms of failure to account for taxpayer money that is being spent in various private schools," Klein said. "We don't know if money was spent for terrorist activities or education or both."
Supporters say opponents of school choice are using the Islamic Academy as a weapon to erode the program, which is strongly supported by Gov. Bush.
Kirtley said his main concern is for the children.
"This entire program is now in the political arena," he said. "We cannot put at risk the educational opportunities that have changed the lives of 15,000 low-income children."
Al-Arian, a former professor at the University of South Florida, co-founded the Islamic Academy in 1992 and served as its director and board chairman. Now in jail without bail, he is accused of being the North American leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. He denies any connection to terrorists.
A February grand jury indictment against Al-Arian and seven others says the school was used as a base of support for the organization.
The school's treasurer, Sameeh Hammoudeh, also was indicted and is being held in jail without bail. He and Al-Arian allegedly encouraged people who wanted to send money to Palestinians to write checks to their school.
The school's board of directors issued a statement Friday denying it supports any illegal activities.
They also expressed sadness at the loss of scholarships, which make up about one-third of the school's total funding. They said the school may have to shut down.
"Our focus is on the well-being and education of our children," the board said. "We fervently hope Florida PRIDE will reconsider its decision."
Minutes after Kirtley's announcement, state Education Commissioner Jim Horne issued a statement saying the school was being investigated by both the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Horne said the state will hold discussions with funding organizations to make sure all participating schools are accountable.
Kirtley, who helped develop the statewide scholarship program, said no other school is being dropped from its approved list. He said the Islamic Academy's funding could continue if investigations prove the school properly spent the money.
After Al-Arian's indictment, PRIDE officials conducted an independent audit of the school and found no misuse of funds and no connection between the scholarship money and terrorist activity.
Friday afternoon, more than 100 parents and children from area private and religious schools gathered at a downtown park in support of the scholarship program. They chanted and waved banners reading: "Scholarships Change Lives."
Anna Lovett, an assistant administrator at Tampa's Anointed Word Academy, said parents whose children receive the scholarships are free to leave a school if their kids aren't getting a good education.
"True accountability," she said, "is with parents."
- Information from Times wires was used in this report. Melanie Ave can be reached at 813 226-3400 or melanie@sptimes.com
